Monthly Archives: June 2011

Now Alenka over at Six Thousand Songs (see blogroll, I can’t seem to link in a post, anyone have advice?) has featured Marilyn Manson in her posts before but I will beat her to featuring this controversial artist. Just so you know, I like Marilyn Manson. His music, his message (sometimes), even his antics. He knows he is entertaining people not only with his music but with his presence. Like Lady Gaga, their is no Brian Hugh Warner anymore. There is only Marilyn. And he is smart. Yes, I was shocked when I first saw him in “Bowling for Columbine.” His line about music as an only escape growing up really resonated with me. And when he says, “I wouldn’t say a single word to them. I would listen to what they had to say. And that’s what no one did,” I gained so much respect for him.

Unfortunately, I didn’t start listening to his music until a year ago. True, some of his songs I dislike but their are many I listen to very often. Some people say he is too aggressive and advocates violence, suicide, drug use, sex and other such “unfavorable” behaviors. But how is he so much different than the female pop artists like Rhianna who talk about their S&M tendencies? And also, don’t tell me that her video isn’t extremely weird/overtly advocating sex and drug use.

Why I like Marilyn Manson is because he is different, he has real (political, religious, ethical) meaning behind his songs. Sure, some are really loud and obnoxious but others are the perfect mix of angry, guttural vocals and amazing drums, guitar, synth etc. One such song is “The Nobodies” which was based on the Columbine events, fear tactics of the news, and a little religion thrown in for the hell of it. From the beginning electrical piano solo to the screaming “we are the nobodies, want to be somebody,” I love it. Plus the music video is sick. So creative and dark and interesting.

And even though some people think he looks extremely weird, he is strangely very sexy.

What are your feelings on Marilyn Manson? Love him, hate him, never hear of him (I don’t know how this one could be possible)?

Shawn Colvin is one of the artists my father introduced me to when I was very young. I didn’t really know what the songs were about but I fell in love with her beautiful voice. As an young adult now, those songs not only remind me of my childhood but also have meaning behind the alluring vocals.

As Stunning As Her Voice

“Suicide Alley” is one of her songs that seems to be based on my life, or at least my struggles. Shawn Colvin, like me, struggles with depression. To me, this songs speaks of her battle against this devastating illness. She talks about feeling like a “loose cannon” and having damage running loose in her head, feelings I shared intimately. But she overcomes these feelings, or at least the impulse to walk down suicide alley. She has a “place in this world of mine”. When I have a truly bad day, I listen to this song on occasion to just remind myself that yes, other people do feel the same why as I do sometimes. Sometimes,the world seems too much for you. But there is always tomorrow. There is always people to help. There is always something to look forward to.

Sorry for the weird music video, it was the only one that I found on you tube with this song.

As a side note, I was/am obsessed with Shawn Colvin’s album covers. Check these out.

Sorry for the lack of posts this weekend. I have been super busy with all kinds of things, many being non- academic and wonderful. Anyways, I have still been listening to some great music and have more to share.

Although I love Jessie J and Little Boots, my first british artist I fell in love with was Imogen Heap, one of the members of Frou Frou. I actually found her because I really loved the song she produced for Shrek 2, “Holding Out for a Hero.”Since then I have listened to both her independent work as Imogen Heap and her work in the group Frou Frou. In both, she produces amazing songs that I can listen to over and over again. I remember vividly listening to her CD in the car on the way back from night meetings. I would be on the freeway by myself, just her voice filling the car.

“Breathe In” is a great example of her beautiful voice. It just draws you in and I am clinging to each word. She also has a huge range, highlighted in “Holding Out for a Hero”.

She used to have a great music video for this song but I cannot find it anywhere online.

Another reason why I love her is her eclectic sense of style. She wears a wide range of outfits, from hippie to ballroom dresses. And she always makes the outfit hers by adding something a little bit odd or different to it.

Love the feathers

Love the arm warmers and the flower

Just Love

Have you ever found an artist you love from a soundtrack to a movie? Care to share?

It is finally Friday. This has been one of the longest weeks. 70+ hours in lab and nothing to show for it. Yes, research sucks sometimes. But it is Friday! So I only have to power through another 9 or so hours of work and then I am free. (Don’t think I don’t love working in the lab, it has just been a stressful week). So the song of the day is to get me through tomorrow and on to a weekend long 21st birthday celebration. No, not mine. A friend’s. I fortunately already had my 21st in January. But this weekend is still going to be legen … wait for it … dary (Any one get that reference?).

So here it is. “Party Rock Anthem” by LMFAO (laughing my fucking ass off). And although this is a ridiculous music video, it is very addictive.

What are your weekend plans? Do they involve friends, music, dancing, and drinks? Or something else entirely?

Lady Gaga is one of my favorite artists. There I said it and I will not waver on this conviction. Some people have very different opinions about Gaga, saying she is just a fame seeker with her weird outfits and her music is just so-so. I am fine with that opinion. Some of my best friends hate Gaga and I am still friends with them. So don’t worry. But I will play copious amounts of Gaga if you hang out with me long enough so just be warned.

For me, Lady Gaga does not represent some attention seeking celebrity. Do you see her in the tabloids like Lindsey Lohan or Brittany Spears wearing no underpants in a taxi, drunk after a night of partying at all of the top bars? No. You see tabloid pictures of her in amazingly creative costumes that push our idea of fashion. She creates music that both entertains and makes us question the world around us (aka “Born this Way,” “The Fame”). Her music videos are art in themselves with the costumes, the choreography, and the concepts. “Bad Romance” will always be one of my favorite videos because who has the courage to make a video about human trafficking? Sure, she makes it very sexy but she looks so vulnerable in the close-up shots, basically radiating the pain of being sold. And her outfits. Sure, the meat dress was pretty weird but she has countless others that were unique, stunning, shocking, and overall amazing.

Just a few of my favorite Gaga outfits

The main reason though that I love Lady Gaga though is that she seems so comfortable with herself. She has risen from an outcast girl in middle and high school to a confident women. She is fine not wearing what everyone else is wearing. She is fine with not looking exactly like a the other singers and celebrities. Throughout high school, I was an outcast and felt like I could never fit in with the other students. I dressed differently, I looked different, I acted different. But Gaga, and college, taught me that different can be better than conformity. So what if I am not “classically” beauty? That doesn’t mean I am ugly or “undesirable” (aka no one would ever want to ask me out/think I was attractive which I thought/still think but getting better at thinking differently). So what if I awkward in social situations? Students from my college excel at being awkward and so many of them succeed and are remarkable people. So what if I do anything against the norm? Gaga is the example of someone who didn’t follow the conventional (singers, entertainers, etc) and cut her own path with her creativity.

Anyways, you are probably wondering what any of this has to do with music. Well, I might have misspoke before since Gaga’s music is probably tied for the number one reason why I love her. Her songs are unique, dancable, catchy, creative, and beautiful. I know that if I listen to even one of her songs, I will be in a better mood. So here is one of my Gaga favs, though picking my top would be impossible. Plus, who would want to listen to just one?

I know I promised to have a great upbeat song, and I do, but this post is going to be short because I need sleep and I am still at lab. Anyways, enough about my life.

IT IS THE FIRST DAY OF SUMMER! Okay well it was yesterday the 21st but I was early for Father’s Day so I think it makes up for being a few hours late. To celebrate this, I picked a song from 500 Days of Summer,”You Make my Dreams Come True!” The song, written and sung by Hall and Oates, is one of my favorites in the movie. And that is saying a lot since the soundtrack is very good. Here is a great video of Joseph Gordon-Levitt (hot!) in the movie.

I was going to have a song by Jessie J for today’s song but I realized that I had featured british artists for the past couple days so I decided “jump the pond” (sorry, that was really lame).

I found Stabbing Westward after I fell in love with Nine Inch Nails and was looking for similar artists. Unfortunately, I have yet to find a industrial rock/metal band that consistently produces amazing songs like NIN does. Oh well. But I did find some artists that have some pretty good singles including Prick, Tool, and Stabbing Westward. My favorite song by the latter is “Save Yourself.”

It is so angry but yet has a catchy, almost pop beat that it is unlike some really angry songs with lots of screaming (those have their place, this one is just more “mild”). I also like it because I can connect with it. I sometimes feel that I just help others with their problems and never “save” myself. I have shit going on in my life, we all have shit. And normally I am great at helping people since I cherish my friends and family and want them to be happy. Unfortunately, there are those days that I just want deal with myself and no one else and thus I listen to this song so I don’t yell curse at real people (I would never do that, I swear).
Sorry, that was more of a rant than a review. But that is what happens when I feel overwhelmed and it has been raining for the past 5,000 days (I sometimes exaggerate a bit). I promise I will pick an uplifting song tomorrow.

Yeah, the music video is a little lackluster, just a random collection of scenes but it is interesting to watch. No where near NIN’s videos (“Closer”, you will always be my favorite song and video) but I really do like this song.

Has anyone found any industrial rock/metal bands similar to NIN? Or if you hate this type of music, what should I feature in future posts?